Customer Success: Minnesota State University at Mankato
Customer
Minnesota State University, Mankato is a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. MSU at Mankato promotes learning through undergraduate and graduate teaching, scholarship and research in service to the 
state, the region and the global community. Located approximately 85 miles southwest of Minneapolis/St. Paul, it sits atop 303 acres overlooking the Minnesota River Valley. Currently, more than 14,500 students are enrolled in the university including nearly 600 international students from 72 countries, and it employs approximately 1,800 faculty and staff, including more than 640 teaching faculty.
Challenge
Minnesota State Mankato is focused on providing a safe and secure environment for its growing student and staff populations, while continuing to expand its facilities and programs to best meet student needs. In response to a desire for more robust lifestyle and fitness offerings, the university decided to expand its recreational facilities as part of a campus upgrade initiative. The plan included the addition of a jogging trail between two observatories located in a remote section of campus. Before the expansion of the recreational areas, most people were unaware of the location of the observatories, limiting visibility and hence, its risk profile, but the addition of the jogging trail changed this significantly.
Joel Jensen, Associate Director of Security, Minnesota State University, Mankato, decided to enhance security at the observatories to protect the thousands of dollars of valuable research equipment housed in the buildings as well as the students and staff that would use the new path. But choosing technology that could be effective at deterring criminal activity was a challenge due to the nature of the observatory and the limitations on the equipment that could be used. “We were limited in what we could evaluate because anything that emitted infrared rays would interfere with the experiments at the observatory,” Jensen said. “We also couldn’t mount any devices that would fall in the path of an experiment.”
The security team considered adding security guards to patrol the area 24/7 but that was determined to be cost prohibitive. Surveillance cameras provided value but there was little chance to stop crime or incidents before they occurred. Because of the remote location of the observatories, Jensen knew the university needed a technology solution that would prevent crime before loss, theft or damage occurred.
At a recent ASIS conference, he was introduced to the FutureSentry device, an automated detection solution that mimics 
the actions of a traditional security guard, and knew it was the ideal solution to solve his security challenge.
Solution
FutureSentry leverages built-in intelligence to automatically identify potentially dangerous targets within 1,000 feet, and tracks objects to deter criminal behavior. Once it detects motion in a user-defined area, the system illuminates activity with a high-intensity LED light. It features 360-degree rotation that enables the unit to scan for motion in either direction. The unit can be programmed to focus on a specific geographic area that is narrow or as wide as 360 degrees. It is designed to integrate with both analog and IP surveillance cameras, and also integrates with other security edge devices and services, including recording devices and alarm monitoring.
FutureSentry is effective at preventing crime because of the inherent nature of its functionality. When a potential intruder realizes a guard has seen him, the reaction is to leave the scene before he is detained and FutureSentry has the same effect. Once it detects movement in its area of protection and it shines its high-intensity light, subjects retreat because they are aware they have been detected and most likely, their actions captured by video surveillance cameras. Because each environment offers unique challenges, FutureSentry has a customizable field of protection, and the system’s automated tracking patterns are customizable and easy to adapt.
Jensen said the ability to integrate a surveillance camera into the unit was a top selling point. “I am a believer in deploying cameras where they can be most useful from an investigations standpoint,” he said. “The geographic location of the observatories made it imperative for us to combine a solution with surveillance. The FutureSentry unit’s ability to easily integrate with our security camera of choice enables us to capture critical security data while deterring crime.”
Furthermore, Jensen said the cost-benefit analysis of the device was significant when compared to traditional security cameras or infrared devices. “The dollars and cents of the entire solution was much less when compared with other technologies and the benefits were much higher,” he said.
Results
By leveraging FutureSentry, Minnesota State Mankato is able to provide an additional layer of security to the observatories as well as the jogging path that runs between the facilities. Jensen said the system is “extremely effective” at deterring activity as it tracks motion until it has left the area. “I’ve seen an individual reach down to tie his shoe and FutureSentry immediately transitioned into patrol mode,” he said. “That person, whether he intended harm or not, quickly left the area. FutureSentry gets people’s attention and stops criminals in its tracks.”
In addition to its deterrent capabilities, FutureSentry also proves effective in providing an enhanced feeling of safety. Students and staff view the device as a security escort. In the evening hours, it illuminates a person’s path to keep them safe and increase visibility.
“Not only does FutureSentry stop crime, but it provides an additional layer of safety for students, researchers and staff,” Jensen said. “Our entire team is extremely happy with the results experienced with this system.”
